What Preparations Should Enterprises Make in the “Second Half” of Short Drama Expansion Overseas? | Overseas Expansion Periscope

In 2025, the overseas expansion of the "new three cultural exports" is transitioning from "quantity" to "quality", presenting a trend of high - quality and IP - based development with digital content as the core carrier.

Localized operation is not just about language translation, but also a deep adaptation of values, aesthetic preferences, and even the mindset of users. The real challenge for Chinese cultural enterprises going global lies in how to bridge the cultural gap and make "Chinese stories" truly integrate into overseas markets. At the 2025 "From Ingenuity to the World" Overseas Expansion Conference jointly organized by 36Kr and Qiantang Construction and Investment Group, we discussed this issue with several enterprises in the field of cultural overseas expansion.

01 Micro - innovation to Bridge Cultural Barriers

The core of cultural products lies in content. Content that can be successfully exported must meet the spiritual needs of overseas users. To understand the preferences of overseas users, DataEye (Ju Chacha) has launched the ADXray (Overseas Version) data tool, which can analyze the proportion of female and male users and the content tags they are interested in; AI tools can improve the dubbing efficiency of short dramas and promote the accurate implementation of content.

Lin Qiwen, the vice - president of DataEye, shared a set of data: In the short - drama industry, which already has a mature business model in China, the overseas market size is expected to reach $4.5 billion in 2025. However, user preferences differ from those in the domestic market: female users account for 77%, and they prefer "female protagonist's counter - attack" rather than the popular "dominant CEO" in China; the payment model is mainly "in - app purchase", and the free model only accounts for 20%.

Lin Qiwen suggested that details can be adjusted based on the domestic - verified plot framework. For example, change "son - in - law's face - slapping" to "vampire's counter - attack" and replace Chinese elements with local scenarios, which can not only retain the sense of excitement but also avoid cultural barriers.

Different from digital content products such as short dramas, physical cultural products need "stories first" when going global. According to Wu Siyong, the general manager of the Value - added Business Department of Dunhuang Net, through videos and other means, overseas consumers can first learn about and immerse themselves in the stories behind the products, which will naturally arouse their interest in the products.

02 The Art of Localization Balance: Deep Adaptation from Language to Culture

What is the most difficult problem in the localized operation of cultural products in overseas markets?

Xing Ruiqi, the vice - president of the commercialization department of Quwan Qianyin, believes that for the short - drama industry, the biggest difficulty is the "cultural codes behind the language". For example, a literal translation of "dragon" may cause negative associations in the West, so it should be adjusted to "mythical beast" according to the context; translate "New Year's Eve dinner" into "family feast" that European and American users can understand, which not only retains the core meaning but also fits the local expression. Therefore, Quwan Qianyin provides translation tools for structured content such as short dramas through AI voice technology, such as one - click multi - language dubbing and subtitle generation, to help content quickly reach global users.

According to the standards of "faithfulness, expressiveness, and elegance" in translation, AI translation can achieve "faithfulness" (accurate content) and "expressiveness" (logical coherence), but "elegance" (cultural adaptation) still requires human - machine collaboration. For example, when translating ancient poems or internet memes, the machine first outputs a basic version, and then humans optimize it according to the local context.

In response, Quwan Qianyin's solution is "technology + local talents". After AI completes the basic translation, native speakers from the target market are invited to optimize the expression. At the same time, a "flexible editing" entry is reserved in the product to support translators to adjust the translation, language, and voice in real - time, ensuring that the content is "down - to - earth", achieving "understandable stories" technically and "emotional resonance" in cultural essence.

In terms of content localization, the core is to find cultural commonalities and package the essence of Chinese culture in the language of the other side, so as to resonate with overseas users. For example, the logic of short dramas going global is "keep the core unchanged and localize the form". That is, core plots such as "counter - attack" and "emotional redemption" verified in China can still move users overseas. Just change "feuds in the quadrangle" to "struggle for manor inheritance" and replace "dominant CEO" with "vampire", which not only retains the sense of excitement but also fits local imagination.

How to accurately grasp the cultural habits and needs of local users? Wu Siyong said that Chinese enterprises often select "blockbuster products" based on domestic experience, but cultural and creative products that are popular in China may be unpopular overseas. For example, scarves with complex patterns are less popular in Europe and America than simple ones.

Dunhuang Net's approach is "local - to - local". Relying on local internet celebrities and pan - internet celebrity communities that have been deeply involved overseas for many years, relevant parties in the entire chain can co - create and communicate, forming a positive cycle of "user feedback - product upgrade - commercial realization". "The premium of cultural products comes from brand and cultural value, which requires stronger user interaction to cultivate loyal fans. Local communities are the key to connecting users and merchants, helping products penetrate the market and achieve continuous commercial realization. I believe they will be the core force for cultural overseas expansion in the future."

03 New Globalization Possibilities with Cultural Confidence

What new trends will there be in cultural overseas expansion in 2025? What preparations do enterprises need to make?

In Lin Qiwen's view, the overseas expansion of short dramas will enter the stage of "global collaboration". For example, a drama launched in China can be translated into multiple languages and sent to the world on the same day; the plots of popular domestic dramas can be adjusted in real - time according to regional characteristics and placement data (such as adding "witchcraft elements" in Southeast Asia and strengthening "career counter - attack" in Europe and America). Relying on data, micro - innovation is carried out through rapid trial - and - error to iterate products.

Xing Ruiqi mentioned that two - way flow will become the mainstream - not only will Chinese content go global, but overseas bloggers (such as YouTubers with tens of millions of followers) will also enter the Chinese market through our tools. This requires our AI technology to be more "culturally - savvy": it should be able to translate "Dream of the Red Chamber" well and explain Shakespeare thoroughly, making cross - cultural communication smoother.

Wu Siyong believes that cultural overseas expansion ultimately requires "physical carriers". In the future, the "cultural premium" of physical goods will be further released. As overseas users become more curious about Chinese culture, "products with stories" such as intangible cultural heritage and handicrafts will be more competitive.

Cultural overseas expansion is not a one - way output, but a process of "letting a hundred flowers bloom and sharing the beauty". Whether it is the accuracy of AI translation, the flexibility of short dramas, or the warmth of physical goods, the core is to tell Chinese stories in a way that others can understand.

This article is from the WeChat official account "Hangzhou Qiantang Enterprise Overseas Service Base". The author is Zhejiang Enterprises Going Global. It is published with authorization from Qiantang.